High school boys basketball: Riverside gives University its first PAC loss

The most surprising thing about Riverside’s stunning 58-56 overtime upset Friday night over visiting Premier Athletic Conference leader University, besides the score itself, was how little time the Beavers had to prepare for the game.
With school being closed due to severe cold several times the last couple of weeks, Riverside’s Thursday practice was its first in over a week. One might have thought they’d been practicing twice a day for a week, based on the defensive effort the Beavers put forth Friday.
Riverside’s game plan was evident from the outset: pressure the basketball as much as possible. That plan came together well for three quarters, as the Beavers forced 16 of what would be 23 University turnovers in taking a 45-34 lead into the final period.
The Preppers, undefeated in the PAC coming in, weren’t about to go quietly into the night. They chipped away at the deficit throughout the fourth quarter, sending the game into overtime tied at 51 after a Chris Cerrelle three-pointer from the top of the key.
In overtime, Riverside returned to the strong defensive effort that had given it the lead in the first place. Holding University to 1 of 7 shooting from the field (a 3-pointer by Kyle Scadlock) and watching the Preppers miss 4 of 6 from the line, the Beavers made enough of their own free throws (7 of 14) to regain the lead and hold on for their biggest win so far this season.
“We practiced Wednesday of last week, and then yesterday was our next practice,” Riverside coach Adam May said. “The kids had seven days off in a row. So we had some fresh legs. I look at that as a ‘clear your mind’ time. When we came into practice (Thursday) all we talked about was a new mindset. Look at the defensive effort we had tonight. That team that played tonight was a championship basketball team.”
Riverside’s aggressive defensive attack led to three early University turnovers, but the Preppers, missing DeAndre Austin and Donyell Marshall, stayed in the game by getting the ball inside for easy baskets to 6-foot-5 Sam Garson and 6-4 James Johnston. The game was deadlocked at 9 after one quarter.
In the second, Regan Mohler and Charlie Voudouris combined for 10 points for University, while Maxx Brubaker scored nine points and Brad Rinella had three key steals for Riverside. The Beavers’ Tim Keller hit a 3 at the buzzer, the first for either team in the game, to give Riverside a 26-25 halftime lead.
“Maybe that (Riverside pressure) was a product of DeAndre being out, but they played hard,” University coach Terry Lipford said. “We knew they were going to play hard, play the full length of the floor. They’re very well-coached and are a team with a lot of pride. I give them a lot of credit, they executed their game plan very well, and kind of made us uncomfortable. We were on our heels for most of the game.”
Riverside (4-10, 4-4 PAC) kept up the pressure in the third quarter, forcing five more US turnovers and outscoring the Preppers by 10, led by Joe McDonald, who tallied 8 of his 18 points. University (9-3, 8-1), sensing its undefeated league record was in jeopardy, played with urgency in the fourth quarter. Five different Preppers scored, and defensively they held Riverside to two field goals and one free throw before Cerrelle’s big shot tied it.
“The Riverside program, which is headed in a good direction, still isn’t used to playing championship-level basketball,” May said. “The last time Riverside beat University may have been when Alex Sullivan was in a Riverside uniform. The program has been down, and when they look at the scoreboard and see themselves up by 11 against a team like University, that’s unfamiliar territory. You’ve got to play to win the game. We played not to lose.”
Though nearly letting the game slip away, the Beavers regained their bearings in the extra session to gut out the victory. Brubaker, the game’s leading scorer with 19 points, hit three of his team’s seven overtime free throws.
University had a chance to pull out a come-from-behind win, but had trouble finishing drives and making free throws itself.
“We played with a little more poise (in the fourth quarter) and slowed it down just a little bit,” Lipford said. “We did a better job of executing at both ends of the floor and getting stops. I have to give (Riverside) credit. They wanted to win the game tonight and they did.”
Riverside finished with nine steals as a team, four by Rinella. Mohler (12), Johnston (10), and Scadlock (10) scored in double figures for University, with Johnston adding seven rebounds and three blocks.
“When we knew Austin was out for sure, that’s when our game plan changed to pressure more in the backcourt,” May said. “This win shows what we can be. I think our record’s very misleading. We played 10 away games in a row, and played games against teams like Newark and Middletown which have won state championships. We still have to play University again and South twice.”
Riverside will host North Saturday in a make-up game, while University will host Benedictine on Saturday.